


Getting to Know You

by TheWorkoftheHeart



Category: One Piece
Genre: Baratie (One Piece), Family Dinners, Family Reunions, Father-Son Relationship, Happy Ending, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Meeting the Parents, Other, Regular Straw Hat Shenanigans, Relationship Reveal, Sanji Is Not A Vinsmoke, Secret Relationship, more tags will come up im sure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:01:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24084019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWorkoftheHeart/pseuds/TheWorkoftheHeart
Summary: Sanji’s movements were gentle as he pressed his hands down the black fabric of Zoro’s overcoat, straightening it. “Are you ready, then, Marimo?” he asked, and his eyes trail to his face with a smirk.Zoro shrugs, a smile teasing the ends of his lips. “‘s ready as I’ll ever be.”
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 38
Kudos: 274





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I got struck with the inspiration for two different prompts within the same vein of one another. My friends encouraged me to combine them, so that's what this is. It's my first multi-chapter fic in a long time, but it (hopefully) won't be too long of one. I hope you enjoy!

“I’m not so sure about this anymore.”

Zoro leaned back on his hands, looking to Sanji. He was tidying up in the mirror with a nervous expression, fumbling with buttons on his pants and looking at what he had laid out on the chair beside him.

“And why’s that?” Zoro thought to reply, cocking his head back. “You were the one who wanted to invite us.”

“I know I was, but… I don’t know.” The cook grabbed his shirt off the chair, the white looking grey and the deep blue stripes almost black in the light of the near-dark room. He slid his arm into one of the sleeves before he could find the words to speak again. “It’s my family, and Zeff isn’t exactly the easiest to get along with- not to mention Luffy’s sour history with him as it is.”

“Can’t be more sour than that damned lemon tart I had,” Zoro grumbles, which pipes a laugh from Sanji as he slips into his shirt, working on the buttons.

“He blew a hole in our ship, dumbass. It’s not exactly the best first impression.”

Zoro gave an understanding nod. “Well, he liked the rest of us, didn’t he?”

“It’s hard to say. I didn’t exactly have the time to speak with him after everything was over, I just… left. I went with you all, and never looked back. It’s hard to say if the ol’ shit-geezer liked you or not.”

The “you” was obvious to Zoro the moment it was spoken; of course, Sanji cared about Zeff’s feelings towards his crew. Alongside the Baratie, the Straw Hats were his family. They’d only been together a few years, yet it felt like a lifetime. However, with Zoro, Sanji’s feelings were different. They were dating now. They’d _been_ dating. If it turned out Zeff were to dislike or even hate Zoro, it would absolutely crush him.

Zoro could see the worry on Sanji’s face, even in the shadows. Never one to know how to comfort, he clicks his tongue before offering, “You look handsome.”

“Shut it,” Sanji quips back, but there’s a loving twinge behind it. He takes a moment before admitting similar. “You look handsome, too.”

He reached for his black overcoat, not too different from the one Zoro was currently wearing. He continued to fumble with his shirt buttons, unhappy with how tight the shirt fit in some areas and how loose it felt in others. Zoro watched him with a quiet intrigue, focusing on his hands, watching them pull buttons through holes seamlessly before adjusting them and looping them in again. 

When Sanji reached for his tie, Zoro spoke again. “I think it’ll be fine. You really think your dad’s gonna hate whoever you bring home?”

It was vague enough to not give away the internal struggle of his lover, but clear enough to be a reassurance. He sighed. “I guess not.”

Zoro smirked a little, pulling himself forward to slouch over the edge of the bedside. “It’ll be fine, you shitty cook. And even if it’s not, it doesn’t mean I’ll love you any less.”

Sanji moved the bottom of his tie, watching the knot slide into place. He brushes his clothes down, moving away the dust. “Just… remember that I don’t want him to know yet. About us. Not until I know how he feels about the lot of you.”

“I may be stupid, as you call me, but I won’t forget that.”

There’s a quiet laugh, and Zoro can’t help but mirror it. Sanji turns around and makes his way to the swordsman. He, in turn, meets him halfway, standing only inches away from his lover.

Sanji’s movements were gentle as he pressed his hands down the black fabric of Zoro’s overcoat, straightening it. “Are you ready, then, Marimo?” he asked, and his eyes trail to his face with a smirk.

Zoro shrugs, a smile teasing the ends of his lips. “‘s ready as I’ll ever be,” he replies, and there’s a softness to his voice, one that will be muddled down as the night drags on. Sanji can’t help but smile a bit wider, shaking his head as he flicks Zoro’s shirt collar to where it rests beautifully against his neck. Zoro pulls his arms around Sanji’s waist, kissing him quietly; Sanji pulls himself a little closer, sighing. It only lasts a moment, then two, before they pull apart, looking at one another with loving expressions. Sanji admires how Zoro’s rugged face can look so soft in moments like this.

“Let’s get a move on, then,” Sanji encourages, walking towards the door of the men’s dormitory. Zoro follows wordlessly, intertwining their fingers as they make towards the deck.

As the two finally made it into the fresh air, they separated, Sanji moving to pull his cigarettes and lighter from his pocket as Zoro grabs his swords from the corner of the doorway, sliding them into his haramaki. There was chatter from the others that quickly moved to a chorus of hellos, a mixed “where have you been?” and “couldn’t have waited?” also announcing their presence.

“Hey, try to keep the jokes to a minimum, remember?” Franky interrupts, gesturing a little ways off the water to the steadily-approaching Baratie. “We’re almost there, and if Sanji’s not ready, he’s not ready. We can last a couple of hours.”

“Yeah!” Luffy cheers. “I’m just excited to try all the food- Sanji, you said they’re good cooks, right?”

“Incredible cooks,” he replies, a beam of pride in his voice. “Perhaps some of the best there are. Bet they miss having me on the ship with them, though.”

“Because no one’s a better cook than you,” Nami added, “right?”

“That’s exactly it.”

The crew chuckles as the boat nears the entrance to the Baratie, the waves helping to carry them along. A ways above them, Robin yells for the anchor to be tossed down, and everyone gets to work pulling the ship to a stop, not wanting to cause more damage to the boat than there already had been years ago. The Baratie was looking much better than she had been when Sanji’d seen it last; instead of her rough wear and the three towers, she was sparkling new with even newer floors. It swelled a sense of pride in his stomach, but also a little pain. She’d changed so much without him. What if everyone else changed, too?

That fear dissipated easily with a familiar call of “Sanji!” from the Baratie deck. As everyone gathered back to the exit of the Sunny, Patty greeted them from below, Carne close behind him. A joyous light hit Sanji’s face immediately as he made his way towards his uncles, who wrapped him into a tight hug without hesitating for a moment. The rest of the crew followed, once it was deemed they’d had a moment to reunite alone.

“We missed you, y’old shit,” Carne said, wrapping an arm around Sanji’s shoulders. “Look at you! You’ve gotten taller and everything!”

“So’s the Baratie, look at her! She’s as beautiful as ever.”

Patty pulled out a cigarette, and Sanji his lighter. It was a quiet exchange that one could only read as a silent respect, not immediately wanting to delve into their near-comedic violence on such a special occasion as tonight.

“She’s grown a lot without you,” Patty replied as he held the cigarette to his lips. “You’ve not missed much else, though. ‘s this your crew?”

“It certainly is. Everyone, this is Patty and Carne, two of the best chefs on board.”

Carne grinned. “I see a couple familiar faces in this bunch. You never got tired of this kid?” he asks.

“Nope!” Luffy responded before anyone else can give a sarcastic remark. “He’s a wonderful chef, so we kept him!”

“I certainly got tired of him,” Nami remarked as she walked towards the two to shake their hands.

“Don’t doubt you did, Miss. Welcome aboard.”

It was a long few minutes of introductions, questions about the trip and how Sanji had been treating the crew- questions one could expect from a family reunion, of sorts. The question finally arose, surprisingly from Robin, of Zeff’s whereabouts.

The question got the attention of Sanji, as well as Zoro; the two of them had a little more concern about meeting Zeff than the rest of the crew did. However, neither chef picked up on their anxiety, instead choosing to answer after a moment of thought.

“He was in the kitchen finishing up, last I saw of ‘im,” Patty said. “Sanji, care to go look for your old man? Should be on the middle deck, and if not there, he’s in his quarters on the top floor. Think you can manage that?”

“I’m sure I can. Care to lead everyone to the dining area, you two?”

“Certainly,” Carne assures. “Everyone, follow me. I’ll show you where we’ll be eating tonight.”

Sanji took the initiative to walk inside first, but not before looking back to Zoro. The swordsman shot him a nod, a smirk faint on his lips, and it encouraged Sanji to keep moving forward.

Despite the exterior differences, the inside of the Baratie was very much the same; it felt like coming home, which soothed Sanji’s nerves significantly. The smell of seafood was rich in the air and he followed it without question, moving up the stairs to find the kitchen a ways above where it used to be. It was empty, save a few cooks who were washing what remained of the dishes and storing them away to make the post-dinner cleanup easier. They bid Sanji their hellos, informing him without question that Zeff had indeed gone up to his room, specific with their directions on how to find it. He didn’t hesitate to make his way to the upper deck in search of his father.

The door was the same as it had been when Sanji left. Zeff’s door frame was still a rickety wooden brown, a “Z” carved into the front under the porthole and faded blue curtains keeping the privacy. Beside it was another far-too-familiar door, one with an uneven “S” and knife marks on the frame that documented Sanji’s height over the course of his childhood. It made him smile a little; of course the old geezer had kept them. As stoic as he was, the bastard was sentimental.

Sanji made his way to Zeff’s door, knocking on it, debating saying something to announce his presence or letting Zeff play the wild card of guessing himself. It was unsurprising, though, to know Zeff could recognize him immediately just by the pattern with which he walked.

“Come in,” was the only response he got, but the tone was the same one he always used with Sanji back when they’d lived together on the Baratie. Sanji opened the door as soon as he got the permission to.

Zeff was by the window, leaning out of it with a cigar between his teeth. He glanced back at Sanji and smiled, which made him smile right back in return. “Nice to see you, little eggplant. Hope the trip fared you well.”

“It did, it did.”

He pressed his cigar into the ashtray, watching the red extinguish into grey before standing up and making his way towards Sanji. He pulled him into a hug immediately, squeezing him tight, feeling his boy relax in the hold.

“Tu m'as manqué,” he whispered. Sanji smiled a little.

“Tu m'as manqué aussi.”

They separated after that, Zeff slapping a hand on Sanji’s shoulder. “I take it your little crew’s arrived?”

“Should be downstairs, yes. Patty and Carne took them to where everyone should be eating.”

“I don’t doubt they’re still outside talking everyone’s ears off. Might need to go fetch them.”

“Me?”

Zeff chuckled. “Yeah, you. You’re the one who looks presentable, I still have to tidy up ‘nd put my hat on.”

“You don’t need the stupid hat, we’re dining for Christ’s sake.”

“To be without my hat is to be a dishonored man.”

Sanji gently shoved Zeff, and received a laugh in return. Zeff shook his head a little. “Go and make sure everyone’s on the first floor, yeah? I’ll be down not far behind.”

“You’ve got it, shit-geezer.”

“Watch your mouth, baby eggplant.”

Sanji left without another word, feeling a little more at ease. At least Zeff seemed to be in an alright mood, so that was a lot less on his shoulders to worry about. He hoped, just hoped, that everyone would behave and make this all a little easier.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote this at 7am on no sleep so i apologize if this is a bit messy!

As Sanji made his way downstairs, he could hear chatter from the dining area. He smiled as he heard Patty’s comical exclamations over a story he could clearly remember, Luffy’s childlike laughter and Franky’s encouraging questions. It made Sanji feel at home again. It reminded him of old family dinners they would have when he still worked on the Baratie, with storytelling and drinking and endless amounts of seafood to keep their stomachs filled to the brim long into the next day.

His shoes connected with the wooden floor and it announced his presence wordlessly. Nami gestured Sanji over with an excited beam in her eye. “Sanji! You’re just in time! Patty was just telling us about when you were a little kid.”

“Are you serious?” he answers back, embarrassment flushing his face. “Patty, you bastard!”

Nami laughs a little, as do his crewmates. It only makes his cheeks flush more. “No, no, I’m just kidding. He was telling us about his life before he worked for your dad.”

“By the way, where is the old man?” Patty asked, turning around to face the stairwell. Sanji made his way over to the table and sat down beside Zoro, quickly getting situated before moving to press a leg to his lover’s. 

“Upstairs finishing a smoke, he’ll be down any minute.” He could feel Zoro gently cross his foot over his, which helped to relax his nerves significantly. At least subtly, he could still experience Zoro’s affections; he shot a glance in Zoro’s direction to see that same damned smirk painted on his lips. 

Maybe dinner would be bearable. Maybe they could get through it without being found out.

Patty continued his storytelling, and Sanji was only half-listening, trying to absorb the other conversations happening at the table. People trying to figure out how to properly wear their napkins, if at all; Franky would scold Luffy and Chopper for acting a fool in such a fine establishment, only for it to go in one ear and out the other. It was certainly going to be a busy night, but Sanji expected no less from his crewmates. It was towards the end of Patty’s story that Zeff finally made his way downstairs, his pegleg clicking against the wood helping to alert everyone that the final guest had arrived.

“Zeff! ‘s about time you showed up, we were gonna start eating without you,” Carne teased from the end of the table. Zeff scoffed, walking past him specifically to smack the back of his head playfully.

“As if you’d even dream of it,” he retorted, sitting down in the last empty seat. “Is everyone here? Any latecomers we should know about before we open the platters?”

Luffy peered over the table, peeking his head up to scan the room. “The crew’s all here!”

“Same for ours,” said Patty and Carne in unison. 

Zeff smiled, looking down the table at Sanji’s crew, then to Sanji himself. The Baratie chefs then placed their hands over the handles of the platters. The three chefs exchanged looks before removing the silver lids, exposing dozens upon dozens of meals. Seafood of all kinds, pastas, rice, anything imaginable. It looked as amazing as it always did, and smelled just as good too; it truly did feel like being home again.

“This looks amazing!” Nami exclaimed, followed by bursts of agreement. 

“Feel free to dig in, we have plenty of extras,” Zeff wishes, and no one hesitates to start preparing plates. Food is stacked on white-blue glass and quickly paired with a red-pink wine, and a glass of water for those who opted to abstain from drinking, be it due to age or preference. As much as Sanji wanted to dig right in, he couldn’t; anxiety had suddenly welled at the pit of his stomach, eating him from the inside, making it impossible to do more than pick at the pasta he had so enthusiastically prepared.

What if Zeff didn’t like the crew? What if they were too rowdy, too rambunctious? What if he still held a grudge for the Baratie’s destruction? It created a sinking feeling in his gut. 

Conversation bloomed around the table, questions about what it’s like to be a chef that were met with questions of what it was like to be a pirate. Every answer was an enthusiastic one with many stories tacked onto it. Sanji tried to focus on those instead, slowly making dents in his plate. He heard stories about crazy customers, about people who wanted to tell off the head chef without realizing they were speaking to him; there were stories about beautiful sunsets that made the restaurant a couples hotspot more times than they could count. There were stories from Sanji’s crew about their adventures, all the cool people they’d met, friends they’d made, places they’d saved, people they’d fought. There were too many stories to truly express the extent of their journey so far.

After a little while, Sanji forgot he was anxious. It felt like he was in paradise, family talking to his friends, his boyfriend beside him with a hand lingering small touches in the center of his palm under the table. Zeff, despite not being much of a people person, seemed to enjoy the Straw Hats’ company. He wouldn’t really speak unless someone spoke to him first, or if he had a particular question about something or a comment to make. He was watching, but Sanji knew he was pleased. 

The dinner meals were eventually cleared out by Carne, and dessert replaced it. It was impossible to truly admire the craftsmanship of the treats before they were torn into, but the taste absolutely made up for the mess the group made. It was amazing that anyone truly had the stomach to handle anything, but Sanji supposed the conversations helped keep everyone’s minds off of their stomachs.

It didn’t take long after dessert was presented that everyone at the table slowly declared themselves finished. It began first with Nami, then Zoro; from there, it seemed to pass itself around like a torch, no one able to handle the idea of any more food. There were stacks of dishes piling up on either end of the table, cluttering the atmosphere and making the post-meal conversation virtually impossible.

Sanji took the initiative to stand up, collecting a couple of stacks of plates. “Let me get this cleaned up for you,” he said to the chefs, less of an offer and more of a statement.

“No, no, you’re our guest!” Patty argues. “Sit down, let us-”

“I’ve got it, it’s fine,” Sanji interrupts. “Hey, Zoro, do you mind helping me with the dishes?”

Zoro stands as well, rolling his neck to get a satisfying crack. He grabs what stacks he can, effectively clearing the table of the dishes. “I don’t mind at all,” he responded. Hearing Zoro’s voice made Sanji realize how little he’d heard him over the course of the meal. With Sanji taking the lead, they both made their way upstairs into the kitchen, passing the swinging doors and releasing a held breath they didn’t know they’d been keeping.

“That was surprisingly more difficult than I thought,” Zoro announced. He made his way over to the sink, setting down stacks of plates and running the water. Sanji sidled up beside him.

“What, dinner?”

“Yes. Not telling anyone about _us_ , about _you_. There were so many jokes I wanted to make but I couldn’t.”

Sanji snorts. “Of course, only the jokes with you.” He ran a plate under the water, beginning to scrub it clean. As a chef himself, he seemed to do it as though it was second nature. Zoro watched his motions and mimicked them as best he could in the sink beside him, hoping to lessen the amount of time they’d spend away from the party.

“At least we’re alone now.”

“At least.”

Surprisingly, there was silence between the two of them. There was somehow a domesticity in doing mindless chores, and when they would speak, it would be a “you’re doing it wrong,” met by laughter and an insult or two. It felt nice to finally be out of the way of prying eyes, to be themselves for a little bit. 

It took fifteen, maybe twenty minutes for the lot of plates to be scrubbed clean, dried, and put into their respective cabinets. The kitchen hadn’t changed at all since Sanji had been in it last, save for the fact that it was a floor higher than he was used to. As he put the last few dishes away, two hands gently wrapped around his waist. He could feel his face go warm as he shut the door and turned around, Zoro pressing their foreheads together silently.

“Dinner was actually quite nice,” he mumbles, and the sound of Zoro’s voice is captivating. “I enjoyed it.” 

Sanji hums. “I enjoyed it too, Marimo.”

“I wish you would’ve cooked it. I like your food better.”

“You only say that because you’ve eaten almost nothing but my cooking for damn near a year now.”

“Yeah, well, maybe I like how you cook, too. Y’ever think of that?”

Sanji chuckles. He carefully presses a kiss to Zoro’s lips, as if avoiding the question; Zoro cupped his cheek with a cautious hand, cold from washing his hands after cleaning up. They could’ve stayed like this forever, no facades, no secrets, but the sound of the wooden kitchen doors fluttering open immediately dragged them away from one another.

However, immediacy was still too late. Sanji’s eyes fell onto Zeff as soon as they opened, catching his wide-eyed, but otherwise stoic expression. It was hard to tell if he was angry or upset- blast the old man for being so hard to read- and it filled Sanji with panic. He wasn’t ready, he didn’t know if Zeff even liked Zoro. He hadn’t gotten the confirmation yet. Sure, it may have seemed that way, but he truly didn’t know. 

“What are you doing in here?” Sanji asked, sounding almost angry to mask the way his stomach fluttered uncontrollably in his chest. Zoro backed away from his boyfriend, and he immediately missed the cold touch. 

Zeff didn’t seem to react. “I came to check on you two. You were takin’ a while. Should’ve figured that you had a little thing goin’ on when you brought him up here with you, out of everyone at the table.”

“I didn’t know if you liked him, so I didn’t tell you,” Sanji explained. “I-I didn’t want to deal with you being so critical of him if you knew I was dating him, anyways. It would’ve felt weird to have him meet you with the whole crew, so I just… didn’t say anything.”

There’s silence. Sanji swore the volume of his own heartbeat had to have been audible.

“I don’t know how I feel about ‘im, if I’m honest.” Zeff leaned a hand on the countertop and looked at Zoro with a furrowed brow. “He didn’t talk much. Didn’t hear much out of him.”

Zoro shrugged. “Didn’t have much to say. I usually don’t.” 

Zeff just nodded. He looked between the two of them, and then finally rested his gaze onto Sanji. “How about tomorrow evening, the three of us use the upper dining floor to have a proper meal? That way I can meet this boyfriend ‘a yours.”

He thought over the question once, twice, three times. “Yeah,” came the answer, finally. “Yeah, that… yeah. That works.”

Zeff took his hand off the countertop, smiling at the two of them. “Alright. Your crew already knows, but feel free to take the spare rooms upstairs to rest in. Breakfast’s at nine, like always.”

And with that, he was gone, the kitchen doors swinging behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one's a bit of a filler chapter! just to get some fun into everything!

The two were silent as they laid in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling of Sanji’s childhood bedroom. Zoro was running a hand through the cook’s hair, holding him close to his chest with one arm as Sanji played with his fingers.

“I don’t give a damn if he ends up hating me,” Zoro mumbled, playing with blond strands absentmindedly. “I still love you regardless of the opinions of an old man.”

“He’s the most important ‘old man’ in my life,” Sanji responded, eyes focused on the white wooden boards displaying a waving blue shadow from the half-open curtains. He pulled his cigarette out from between his teeth, exhaling the smoke and watching it plume into the room. “As much as I hate to say it, I don’t think I’d be alright if shit-geezer hated you.”

Zoro hums. “You’d still love me, though, right?”

“Of course.” Sanji put the cigarette into the ashtray, snuffing it out before rolling onto his stomach and resting so he faced Zoro. He trailed a finger down his jawline. “I can’t not love you.”

“Unsurprising,” Zoro teased. “You’ve been smitten for so long I think you’d get lost if you weren’t dating me.”

Sanji laughed a little. “Now you’re giving yourself too much credit.” He pressed a kiss to Zoro’s lips, feeling one hand reach the side of his head and cradle his cheek, playing with his hair with calloused fingertips. As they separated, Zoro cleared his throat, never quite able to get used to the taste of cigarettes. 

“We should try to get some rest.”

The cook nodded, pressing his body into the divets of Zoro’s sides and resting a head on his abdomen. Zoro kept one arm wrapped around Sanji but propped one up under his head, elevating it the way he likes. Despite the previous events, that bed still made Sanji feel safe, and he was asleep much sooner than he’d imagined.

Breakfast came and went while the two were asleep. They didn’t wake up until Luffy was peering right above them, in fact, having crawled onto both of them with a childlike grin. “Oi! Wake up! It’s lunchtime!”

Zoro groaned, shoving a hand into Luffy’s face to push him backwards without so much as opening his eyes. Luffy fell back onto their knees with an “oof” and a burst of laughter.

“Sanji’s dad told me to come wake you guys up because he didn’t want you wasting food,” he informs. “It’s already noon, so come down and eat somethin’!”

“We’ll be down in a few minutes,” Sanji mumbled. “Send him the message.”

Luffy nodded, tipping his hat affirmatively before exiting the room and shutting the door behind him with an old-sounding “click”. Both men sat up after he’d gone, yawning and stretching.

“I guess it’s not appropriate to go down in what we’re wearing now?” Zoro asked, scooting off the bed and heading towards his case of clothes that Robin had delivered some time that night. He clicked it open, pulling out his signature haramaki and robe. Sanji slipped over to the window, pushing it open before lighting a cigarette to start his morning.

“Even if it were, I’d prefer you didn’t. It’s a restaurant and I don’t think anyone would appreciate you going in just your trousers.” He sat his lighter on the nightstand, sitting on the windowsill so he’s able to see both the ocean and Zoro at the same time. Zoro was slipping into his clothes, rubbing a little ointment onto a particularly agitated spot of his chest scar before pulling his haramaki over it. He grabbed his red sash and tied it around his waist, using his swords to keep the knot in place. 

He glanced at Sanji, feeling him stare. A smirk hit his face immediately. “Liking what you’re seeing there, shit-cook?”

“Now tell me, is that a stupid question or a legitimate one?”

“Eh, depends on what you’d rather it be.”

Sanji chuckled, turning back out the window. It felt nostalgic, perched in that white windowsill to meet an expanse of blue-teal sea against a light blue sky, peppered by clouds. He could remember so many afternoons up here, doing the same as he was doing now, dreaming of reaching the All Blue. He never expected to be as close to finding it as he is now, though, which pulled his stomach a certain way. 

He slipped himself off the windowsill into his room, putting the cigarette in the ashtray and watching the ash practically extinguish the fire itself.

“Oi,” Sanji began as he wiggled out of his shirt, “care to hand me that blue button-up of mine?”

Zoro passed it over, and they both finished getting dressed without another word. Since it wasn’t dinner, there was no extra time to have to primp up and look presentable. The two didn’t speak as they exited the room, adjusting to the sunlight coming in from the corridor windows and finding their way to the center of the ship so as to get to the stairwell. The Straw Hats were eating at a table on the first floor, and at their arrival, they gestured the couple over with excited motions.

“We didn’t know what you wanted, so we didn’t order for you,” Robin prefaced as the two took their seats. 

“That’s alright, I don’t want something big, anyways,” Zoro replied. “What’s with all the gesturing?”

Luffy ripped a chunk of fried fish with his teeth, beaming from ear to ear. “Franky had the craziest dream last night! Franky, Franky, tell them!”

“Yeah,” Chopper chimes in agreement, “tell them!”

“Ah, I don’t know if I remember it anymore,” Franky jokes. He went to play on the joke a bit more, but Luffy and Chopper both quickly took to telling the story for him, earning laughter from Robin, Nami, and Brook. Zoro chuckled under his breath as he picked up the menu, flicking it in his hands.

Sanji picked up his own menu, and didn't even spare Zoro a glance before talking. “Before you ask, we do serve sake, you just have to request it. Page four, under white wines. Can’t miss it.”

“At the rate Zoro gets lost on his own, I’d be a little surprised if he _can_ find it!” Nami teased.

“I can count, dammit!”

“He hasn’t gotten lost on the Baratie because I’ve been leading him everywhere,” Sanji explained in jest. Zoro looked at him quickly.

“Hey, watch it, I don’t get lost that easily!”

“Just choose your damn meal, Marimo.”

Zoro grumbled under his breath, flicking through the pages to find something that interests him. Sanji only looked over it to see if the meals have changed much, and opted to try something from their newest rotation, paired with the classic Grand Marnier. It’s Zeff who came around to take the orders, much to the surprise of Sanji.

“Never took you the waitstaff type,” he jabbed. Zeff scoffed.

“Might as well do it, since Carne and Patty ‘re busy. Glad to see you two could actually make it to a meal, though.” He pulled a notebook from his pocket, clicking his pen against his chin to open it. “Make it quick, yeah? Maybe we can bring out your meals with the rest of ‘em’s.”

Over the commotion of the table, the two placed their orders. It was when Zeff walked away that Robin leaned over to Sanji, tapping his shoulder. He turned to look at her.

“Sanji?” Her voice was quiet, almost whisper-like. “Are you aware that… well, Zeff found out?”

Just the mention of Zeff knowing about him and Zoro sent a chill down his spine. He nodded. “He saw us kissing last night, in the kitchen. We’re having a proper dinner, the three of us, this evening.”

Robin nodded. “I hate it didn’t go how you’d planned it to, but you two are happy together. I’m sure Zeff will see that.”

Zoro, who was listening in, nodded. “See, shit-cook? I told you so.”

“Shut your mouth,” Sanji retorted, smiling a little. “And I suppose you’re right.”

“Sanji! Sanji! Are you listening? Franky’s trying to explain something here!” Luffy’s voice piped out over their conversation, effectively halting it.

“I’m listening, keep going.”

Sanji pressed his hand into Zoro’s under the table, just to maintain that little bit of privacy. Zoro, not usually one for public affection as it was, squeezed gently, lovingly. They listened to Franky ramble on about some dream they’d long forgotten the plot of, or maybe it wasn’t about the dream at all anymore. It felt nice to be in the company of the Straw Hats, chattering about nonsense because nothing really mattered here.

Lunch was served, and once it concluded, it was Robin who offered to help with the dishes. It left the rest of the Straw Hats with a bit of time to wander the Baratie and see it through completely, as some of the chefs offered to show everyone around the new establishment.

“D’you wanna join us?” one of the chefs asked Sanji. “You haven’t been here in a while, a tour may be of interest to you.”

Sanji shook his head. “No thank you- do you know where the ol’ shit-geezer is? I want to talk to him.”

“He should be out on the main deck, last I saw of him. If he’s not there, just ask around. He’s bound to show up.”

He smiled, nodding thankfully as he bid the group his farewells. He walked out into the sunlight, eyes struggling to adjust from the inside’s lighting, so he was hit with the sensations of summer heat and a cool breeze, a salty taste on his tongue, the strong scent of the ocean. Once his eyes adjusted, he looked upwards, facing the baby blue sky and her cross-stitched clouds that slowly moved the more he watched them. He grabbed his lighter, pressing a cigarette to his lips as he scanned the deck for Zeff.

As he’d been told, Zeff was sitting in the fresh air, reading a newspaper on a rickety white chair. He didn’t seem to acknowledge Sanji’s presence, or perhaps he didn’t even know he’d come outside at all. Regardless of either, Sanji approached him slowly, grabbing another one of the deck chairs and sitting it beside his father.

It wasn’t until Sanji had sat down that Zeff acknowledged him. “Was the meal any good?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he responded. “It was great.”

He took a drag from his cigarette, staring out towards the Sunny. “About… about tonight.”

Zeff shot a sideways glance in Sanji’s direction. “What about it?”

“You’re getting to meet my boyfriend. One you didn’t know I had. You’re not upset or worried at all?”

He scoffed. “Pah, me? Nervous? You can’t have forgotten me that easily, eggplant. I’m not nervous about a damned thing.”

Sanji fiddled with his fingers uncomfortably. He didn’t want Zeff’s harsh judgement to get in the way of anything, he didn’t want to risk losing Zoro, but at the same time, Zeff’s opinion was so fucking important to him that it made his insides churn. 

“I may not be nervous, but you certainly are.”

The statement brought Sanji out of his head, and he looked at the chef with wide eyes. “What?”

“You’re nervous. Y’re fiddling with your hands.”

Sanji gave a breathless chuckle. He focused instead on holding his cigarette. “Please try not to butt heads with him.”

Zeff smirked. “Why, is he someone I’m likely to butt heads with?”

“No- well, maybe. He’s… stubborn. Stubborn as a damn mule, and he can have quite the attitude if he’s in the wrong mood, but… he’s good.”

“Good, huh?”

“Yeah.” Sanji took a drag from his cigarette. “Very good.”

Zeff chuckled. “I’ll see for myself when the time comes for it, then. F’er now, though, I’m trying to read my paper.”

Sanji smiled a little. “I’ll leave you to it, then. Dinner’s at seven?”

“Like always.”

He stood, moving his chair away from Zeff’s as he began to make his way back inside the Baratie, hoping to catch up on one of the “tours”. He couldn’t deny that he was mildly interested, after all. Maybe it would buy him a bit of time until dinner came around, just to clear his mind.


	4. Chapter 4

Of all the things Zoro had to be, he was late.

This boat was just too damn big and it was driving him up a wall. Five floors that all look exactly the same on the outside, with interior rooms being the only difference; he was amazed he found Sanji’s bedroom to change his clothes, but by that time, the room was completely empty, a recent cigarette snuffed out in the ashtray and a frantically written note on yellow paper of “second floor dining room- where are you, marimo?”

Zoro was lucky the clothing that he’d packed to wear to the group dinner wasn’t his only tuxedo, but dammit, he still couldn’t get his tie right. From his nerves alone he could feel the ghost of two hands on his shirt, gently fixing his collar and straightening his tie; he wished Sanji were here right now. He would know how to make him presentable.

“Dammit.” The words seared off his tongue. He threw his tie aside just to put it out of his mind as he straightened his tux, placed his swords into his dark green sash, and booked it out of the bedroom to look for the stairwell. 

It took an embarrassingly long time to find the stairwell, and he almost charged into the third floor before Nami caught him by the neck of his jacket. 

“One more floor, stupid,” she teased, turning him around. He huffed, rolling his shoulders so his jacket fell right. Zoro played with his cufflinks. 

“Thanks.”

She looked like she’d just heard the best secret in the world, being told “thanks” by such a stubborn individual. She beamed. “Knock ‘em dead, Zoro.”

Zoro took a deep breath before heading down the stairs at a semi-urgent pace. There was the sound of a violin playing that he could immediately recognize as Brook, and looking across the dining hall as he descended the stairs helped to show he was, indeed, playing music on a makeshift stage of crate pallets and spare bed sheets. It looked nice enough, and he would’ve assumed it to be a stage had a bit of its underside not been peeking out.

“Oi.”

Zoro’s head immediately shot to the right of the bottom of the stairwell. Sitting in the center of the room was a large table, lit with a candle centerpiece; Zeff sat facing him while Sanji’s back was to him. Zoro felt like his body went cold under such a sharp gaze. Nobody spoke as he walked over, Sanji quickly standing and meeting him behind the chairs, to help straighten his coat and curse him for being so late.

Zeff sat back, looking at the two, before he chuckled; that chuckle quickly became a laugh that made Zoro turn a sickening red-pink. “What’s so funny?” he wants to ask, but as he opens his mouth, the chef shakes his head.

“The ‘lil eggplant said you were bad with directions,” he began, “but I didn’t expect ‘im to be right.”

With that, he stood, holding out his hand. “Red-Leg Zeff.” He introduced himself as though he’d never met him before, all past experiences muddled for the sake of making the evening less complicated. 

Zoro pressed a hand into his, earning a squeeze that he mirrors. “Roronoa Zoro. It’s a pleasure.”

Once their hands unclasped, the three sat down. A chef Zoro’s never met before comes by as their waiter, obviously watching from the sidelines to make sure he wouldn’t intrude on the introductions. He takes the drink order of champagne, and gives them time to themselves before it arrives.

“So, I take it gettin’ here was difficult, huh?” Zeff asked, a smirk to his voice.

“Cut it, shit-geezer,” Sanji defended, trying to keep Zoro from blowing his top. Instead, Zoro curled a fist under the table, and released.

“The ship’s gotten taller since I was here last, not to mention I’d gone wandering upstairs. It’s less that I got lost and more that I got… lost for time.”

His voice came out in its typical mellow fashion, which got an impressed look from Zeff.

“Makes sense. Easy to get lost lookin’ out at the ocean if you’re not careful. Just make it a habit not to fall in, got it? We don’t have someone mannin’ all ends, so if you fall, y’best know how to swim.”

“Oh, I know how, trust me. With this crew, you’ve got to be prepared for idiot captains who get tossed into the sea, things of that nature.”

The conversation kept casual over the next couple of minutes, long enough for the waiter to take orders and bring out the bottle of champagne. Zeff took it into his hand meticulously and popped it, and instead of a fire-passionate shot, all that accompanied it is a cool vapor that spilled into his own glass. He passed the bottle to Sanji, who filled it for himself and Zoro, knowing Zoro would likely want to go ahead and dampen his nerves.

Zeff kept his eyes on the swordsman the whole time, watching curiously. “Tell me, kid. Do you got a dream too?”

Zoro looked at the chef over the brim of his glass as he pulled it away from his lips. “What?”

“How... let me ask this instead,” he corrected. “D’you know what Sanji’s dream is?”

Was this a trick question? He scoffed. “To find the All Blue.”

He looked impressed at the answer, almost like he was expecting Zoro to get it wrong. “Do you have somethin’ similar you’re working for?”

“Yep.” The answer was simple and clean, and he patted the swords on his hip. “To become the world’s greatest swordsman.”

“Ah, yes, I remember that. Dracule Mihawk’s still got that title, yeah?” He smiled. “A strange man, that one. Harsh lookin’ face on ‘im.”

“He’s not all that bad. Makes for a good trainer.”

Zoro caught a glimpse of Sanji out of the corner of his eye; he was looking to him with absolute admiration in his eyes, one that was subtle and unlike the look he used to give Nami and Robin, but one that made his heart swell with how genuine it felt. Zeff laughed, which got Sanji’s eyes to split from his partner to look at him.

“Y’hear that, eggplant? Sounds like he’s got Dracule wrapped around his finger.”

“I suppose he does,” he answered. “He’s got a charm that works like that.”

“Shut up, that’s the cheesiest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

“I’m trying to flatter you, Marimo.”

Zoro opened his mouth to bicker again, but the thought of the impression it would put on Zeff stops him somehow. In any other situation, he wouldn’t hold back, but he didn't want to ruin this for Sanji (and though he wouldn’t admit it, for himself, either). He sat up a little straighter. He looked to Zeff’s face for an opinion and saw him stoic. He was so damn hard to read, not unlike his son.

Sanji cleared his throat. “Zeff, didn’t you want to ask him about his training..?”

He nodded. “Right, right. Where were you trained to fight how you do? Other than Mihawk, apparently.”

“Shimotsuki Village, back in the East Blue. It’s a few days' travel from here. I was raised by a friend of mine and her father.”

“A friend, huh?”

“Shimotsuki Kuina. She’s part of why I want to become a swordsman in the first place, to honor her.”

Zeff smiled, a little wider than he had before. “To carve a dream in someone’s honor... that’s a respectable feat.”

Zoro smiled back. “I appreciate that.”

The chef mulled on the statement a bit longer, and then looked to him. “So you were raised by the Shimotsuki family?”

“Their descendants,” he responded, “yes. They trained me Santoryu in my youth and I’ve known it my entire lifetime.”

“Then you’re well on your way to becomin’ the world’s greatest swordsman, I’m sure.”

Before Zoro could thank him, the waiters brought out food, and he suddenly realized how hungry he was; no, starving. His nerves felt shot from trying to keep a distinguished appearance and he immediately took a fork and knife into his hands. He was surprised how well it paired with champagne, pouring himself another glass and filling up Sanji’s once his was finished.

Conversation went steady, not too many questions but not too much boring conversation. Zoro wasn’t usually one for talking about the boring aspects of his life like hometowns and the like, but Zeff kept the story about adventures, what islands they’ve seen, things of that nature. Nothing embarrassing.

Until it was.

“When did you realize you were in love with th’ little eggplant, hm?”

Zoro’s face went red-hot, and based on the sudden shift in Sanji’s chair, he must have, too. It’d been… god, a few years now? It was impossible to remember a specific moment when his whole life felt filled to the brim with infatuation for the damned shitty cook. Trying to pinpoint a moment was difficult.

“I…” He really had to think, so he took another bite of his food as he collected his words. “I think when we took down Arlong and his men, back at Arlong Park.”

“How long ago was that?”

“I’d say... a few years ago. It wasn’t that long after I met him.”

He looked to Sanji, who is flustered beyond belief; he wasn’t expecting that answer to say the least, but it was the most notable moment that came to mind for Sanji. The memory of Sanji spinning on his hands, foot going straight into Arlong’s chest before bouncing back and looking Zoro in the eye- it always made him feel something in the pit of his stomach. A warm, knotted feeling that let him know immediately that he wanted Sanji to fall in love with him, too.

Sanji had to not sputter as he laughed off his own nerves. “That’s so cheesy, there’s no way that’s when you fell in love with me.”

“What, do you think I’d just lie to your dad?”

“I wouldn’t hold it past you, no,” came the response, and Zoro’s playful wit kicked into gear.

“You little shit, it took you almost a full six months to realize you liked me, so don’t come for me with that.”

“I absolutely will, it’s the cheesiest thing I’ve ever heard!”

Even if there was nothing to bicker about, the two found it, falling into a short bout of nonsense that quickly ran itself dry. They both knew it was in jest, but a pit dropped in their chests when they realized Zeff may not really know that himself. Zoro turned his head to him, catching his stoic expression and cursing himself. He should’ve held back, or maybe relented, he should’ve kept quiet. Sanji held a neutral expression, himself, as he focused back on his food, not snickering under his breath as he was wont to do. 

The dinner carried casual from there. Not much conversation, not too many more questions, mostly just small talk and eating. Zoro would never admit how the fear he’d disappointed Zeff had completely soiled his appetite, but he pushed through eating, knowing how important it was to both Sanji and his father that he cleared his plate. No food would be wasted, he’d learned that well from his time with his partner.

Dessert came out, which consisted of a simple cheesecake. Sanji finished before Zoro could, smiling softly. “I’m going out for a smoke, Marimo.”

He gave an affirmative hum, instinctively cocking his cheek to him without even turning to face him. Sanji pressed a kiss to his cheek before walking- quite quickly- onto the upstairs deck to have his cigarette.

Zeff cleared his throat when Sanji was out of earshot, standing up. Zoro watches him approach his side of the table and hold out his hand. Tentatively, the swordsman took it.

“Promise me this,” Zeff began. “If you ever hurt him, ever, that you will find a way to get yourself killed before I do it myself.”

The relief that filled Zoro’s body was immeasurable. He smiled wide, and shook his hand firmly. “I’d let you give me a true pirate’s death before I let that happen.”

The two smiled at one another, and Zeff sat back down in his seat, finishing up his meal. Zoro can finally taste what he’s eating now that his nerves have gone down considerably, and while it’s good, it was nothing like Sanji’s cooking.

═════════

Bliss. This was bliss.

Zoro was laid on his back in Sanji’s old bed, Sanji’s head resting on his ab as he laid sideways, smoking and reading a book. It felt nice this way, finally being done with their daily responsibilities and being able to relax. 

“So he likes you, huh?” Sanji asked, glancing up at him with a smirk. “How much did you bribe ‘im with?”

“10,000 beri and dish duty,” Zoro replied. Sanji snorted, though he was embarrassed when he did. “Wasn’t easy gettin’ him to budge, but I got there eventually.”

Sanji half laughed, half hummed, sitting down his book and turning over onto his stomach. He gives Zoro a crooked smile.

“I love you, Zoro.”

They weren’t words often spoken between the two of them, moreso said with actions or gestures. Hearing it come from Sanji’s lips felt like bliss, and gently taking the cigarette from him to kiss him felt even better. When they separated, Zoro gave him the warmest smile.

“I love you, too, Sanji.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are! If you liked it, please follow my One Piece twitter, @hanahana_no__mi, for more updates! Also give me a follow on @hana-hana-no-matsu on Tumblr, where you can request fics from me!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading "Getting to Know You", it's been a blast writing it and I appreciate everyone who has stuck around so far. Lots of love to you!


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